South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-09-02
SWORDFISHING.
Manner Of Catching the Fish.
and Implements Used.
An Exciting Sport Not Unat.
tended With Danger.

Swordfshing is not one of the aquatic
sports in which the landsman visitor 10
the island named for the Dutch ex.
plorer, Adrian Biloxi, can participate.
writes correspondent from Block Is
land. lie may troll for bluefish, and If
they are british" as our skipper call.
it, catch some; nc may jig for mackerel,
he may drift for founders, and he may
indulge in other piscatorial diversions.
but swordishing is reserved for the ex.
perienced old salt.
The rig is quite simple. The spear.
man stands at the extremity of the bow
spirit in what is called the pulpit. The
pulpit is variously constructed. The
simplest form consists of a strong per.
pendicular iron rod, as high as a mans
waist, fastened at the lower end into the
bowsprit and at the upper end bearing
half circle Of iron which fits around
the harpoouer's waist. A strap com.
pletes the circle and holds the occupant
of the pulpit safely.
1t requires three men at least to man a
swordtish vessel. One NAH sits upop the
crosstree or ''stretcher" ut the junction
of the mainmast and topmast, and keeps
a lookout. A second man acts as helms.
man and the third occupies the pulpit.
The lookout sights the swordfish lying at
the surface of the water, lazily basking
in the sun, the animals back and fins
being well out. AS it is generally when
they are summing themselves that they
are caught, it follows that cloudy day
is not favorable for the pursuit. On a
clear day they come up about o a. m.
They are very listless-untIl strickland
the vessel approaches until the fish is al
most under the bowsprit, when the har-
pooner strikes, and then there are excite
mcnt and danger.
The harpoon is a curious implement.
1t is made in two parts, the pole and the
spear The pole is made, perhaps, an
inch and a half or two inches in Diane.
ter and six or eight feet long. The spear
Is detached piece of brass about four
inches long, shaped like an arrow and
looking like miniature weather yane
The rope is attached to this in the mid
die. 1t is then fitted upon the end of
the pole, point downward. When the
harpooner strikes he drives the HARMON
into, and sometimes through, the fish.
ard withdraws the pole. The little
brass spear which is left in the BODY
turns crosswise as soon as the line TINT
ems and cannot slip.
pom being struck the fish is thrown
into fury. Sometimes in its daHinps
1t Will plunge its sword through the
skiff Our shipper once had such an ex
perIence and he stopped the hole with
his foot until he had secured his game.
and then mendcd the fracture. The
captain, to Illustrate the force of the fish
said that he was once on mackerel
schooner, when swordfish struck her
bottom, drove its sword i'm to its ewes
~ ''ii "h' h'dttd up 10 the YES
sells side dead II did this i'm ssbreach-
ing" and not in premeditated attack.
Preaching is swimming swiftly to the
surface, leaping into the air and diving
to sound the depth of the water. The
fish changes its course with difficulty.
and the attack just mentioned was
doubtless unintentional. The captain
said he had seen them breach fifteen and
twenty feet into the air.
The fish weigh from 200 to 500 pounds
apiece. Your correspondent saw one
which had a sword about four feet long.
The sword is solid bone. runs out
straight from the snout, is about three
inches wide at the head and tapers
gradually to rounded extremity an
inch and a half wide. The fish sells for
- cents apound Mt retail in the market,
and Is a great dcicacy The fishermen,
however, obtain only from 3 to cents
q pound according to the abundance of
the catch Exchange.